by Common Ground | Feb 8, 2023 | Better IEPs, February 2023, Parents, Professionals, Q&A, Teachers
Back by request, Common Ground is re-printing this important story last run in 2021. New Jersey law, P.L.2021, c.109 (sometimes referred to by its Senate bill number, S-3434) requires boards of education to provide special education and related services to certain...
by Common Ground | Jun 16, 2022 | Better IEPs, Professionals, Teachers
By Cari Carlson, Esq., MSW School can be a challenge for students with mental health conditions. Some students struggle to concentrate, sit still or follow directions. Others might have difficulty learning due to depression, anxiety, mood swings, psychosis or behavior...
by Common Ground | Mar 17, 2022 | Better IEPs
When a student with disabilities faces school disciplinary action, there are important protections in IDEA that must be followed. A school may suspend a student with a disability for up to 10 consecutive school days, as long as the suspension doesn’t constitute a...
by Common Ground | Dec 20, 2021 | Better IEPs
As educators, advocates and parents respond to the negative effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on special educational and therapeutic services, it’s important to consider the impact on other disability services. The pandemic has particularly impacted the landscape...
by Common Ground | Oct 4, 2021 | Better IEPs
By Hillary D. Freeman, Esq. Children with emotional disabilities and related behavioral disorders are often overlooked for appropriate special education and related services. Instead, they are being categorized as “behavioral problems” in their classrooms....
by Common Ground | Jun 18, 2021 | Better IEPs, Parents, Professionals, Teachers
By Elizabeth Athos, Esq. Education Law Center When a parent disagrees with a change to their child’s educational classification, program or placement that has been proposed by the school district, they can stop this change from going into effect – and preserve...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2021 | Better IEPs, Features, Parents, Students, Teachers
The end of the second COVID school year is near, and many parents are asking whether their school district has met the requirements of their child’s Individual Education Program (IEP). For students expected to graduate this year, these questions are particularly...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2021 | Better IEPs, Parents, Professionals, Teachers
Throughout the pandemic, students with transition services, especially community-based instruction, and off-site job placements, have found that services could not be implemented due to business closures or gathering restrictions. In its “The Road Back”...
by Common Ground | May 5, 2020 | Better IEPs
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the midst of IEP season has left parents and school districts with significant challenges in conducting regular IEP meetings. Federal law has always allowed IEP teams to meet remotely by video conference or telephone. Section...
by Common Ground | Feb 26, 2020 | Better IEPs, Uncategorized
By Jessica Lenhart Progress monitoring is essential to ensuring that a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) is appropriate. Research reveals that sharing progress data is a best practice for improving IEP meetings. (i) Yet, the failure to properly report and...
by Common Ground | Feb 3, 2020 | Better IEPs, Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
By Denver Leigh When we talk about IEPs (Individualized Education Plans), often the goals, objectives, accommodations and modifications get all the attention. True, those four components form critical parts of an IEP; however, in my experience as both a parent and...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Better IEPs
By Jennifer Kuhr Butterfoss Here are 5 things a school principal can do before, during, and after IEP meetings to leverage relationships with staff and further your bigger school-wide efforts: 1. Visit the student in class a day or two before the meeting It can feel...
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